The number of fashion-forward fitness apparel brands keeps growing and growing. We’re already seeing athletic clothing brands like Sweaty Betty go from niche to giving the likes of Lululemon a run for its money. (Has anyone who follows fitness accounts not seen an influencer in these leggings?) And now traditional retailers like SIX:02, which is owned by Foot Locker, are stocking emerging fitness apparel brands (including many of the ones featured in this roundup) alongside major players like Nike, Puma and Reebok. Fittingly, the number of brands looking to cash in on the athleisure trend is ever expanding. Lucky for us, with increased competition, the design options keep getting better.

If you’re still struggling with the notion that it has become seemingly commonplace to spend $115 on a sports bra or $170 on leggings, you can take some solace in the fact that there’s now a blurred line between gym wear and office wear. What sets this new crop of fitness apparel brands apart is that they put as much importance on design as they do function, all while keeping up with trends. Gone are the days when fitness style stayed stagnant, now trends change from season to season. Case in point: mesh panels and multistrap bras were all the rage last season, now it’s high-shine fabrics and colorblocking.

One thing is for sure, after checking out the top emerging fitness apparel brands above you’ll be a lot more likely to stick to your inevitable New Year’s resolution to hit the gym.

TheFashionSpot's Lifestyle Editor, Sharon Feiereisen, is a freelance lifestyle writer based in New York City. Her work has been published in Newsday, The Knot, AM New York, WHERE New York, Dan's Papers, and Hamptons Magazine, among many other print and online outlets. Check out her tumblr blog, Random Happenings.